So I want te find the most feature rich smartwatch that doesn’t send data to the manufacure. I have tried the Pinetime watch, but it died after 6 months.

Infinitytime (OS) was not realy that feature rish, so I want to secrufise an Open Source watch OS. But I still want to connect it with Open Source software, like gadged bridge.

What is my best option under €200? Maybe the Xioami Mi band 7 (€50) that is supported by gadgedbrigde?

  • Uranium 🟩@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    49
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Personally this has been the most feature rich/open source one I could find, and it’s what I ended up going for, there’s an opensource app store, direct integration with gadgetbridge, a decent always on display much like the amazfit bip S, which also means a long battery life.

    https://banglejs.com/

    • notmyredditusername@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      1 year ago

      This is pretty amazing, I was not expecting it to be such a reasonable price considering the specs. What’s the battery life like?

      • Uranium 🟩@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        It can get up to 4 weeks, though my experience is closer to 4 days to a couple of weeks, I think it depends heavily on what apps you’re using, how much you’re moving about and how much stuff you’re installing

    • Giddy@aussie.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      That’s the closest thing I’ve found to my dear departed Pebble

  • SaintWacko
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    30
    ·
    1 year ago

    If you can find a Pebble, they still work perfectly and the manufacturer doesn’t even exist anymore!

    • DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Shit! You just reminded me I have a Pebble Time, sitting in a drawer. I remember it being such a good watch, then I got distracted by the Samsung watch at the time.

      Might see if there’s any life in it and test it out with GadgetBridge.

        • DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          Thanks for that. Came across Rebble while searching for answers to problems getting the Pebble working with GB earlier today, so definitely looks like it’s worth a go.

            • DeltaTangoLima@reddrefuge.com
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              1 year ago

              Just following up - Rebble is fantastic! Have revived the Pebble Time - will see how the battery goes over the next week or so. Thanks again for the tip!

              • varsock@programming.dev
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                2
                ·
                edit-2
                1 year ago

                Hey, you go it!

                FYI, you can financially support Rebble and get perks like being able to reply with voice to messages. I don’t personally do so but I know people who have had success with it.

                For comparison, my Pebble with everything turned off (like health tracking, apps, steps, alarms etc) and only BT on for notifications, I get about a week still

                • SaintWacko
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  2
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  I do! My yearly subscription actually just renewed yesterday!

  • noodlejetski@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    19
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    anything that’s compatible with Gadgetbridge should be okay. it keeps everything on your phone and doesn’t even request a network permission, so the device can’t phone home.

    incidentally, I’ve got the Mi Band 7 (connected via Gadgetbridge] and I quite like it.

    • mulcahey@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      This. I’ve been using the Fossil Collider HR with Gadgetbridge for over a year. I love it, and I love that it’s keeping my data safe

  • solariplex@slrpnk.net
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    14
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    I’ve also used a pinetime running infinitime for the past year, and I agree that it’s not exactly feature rich. I like it though.

    I’ve heard that ‘bangle.js’ is an open source watch as well, with a decent feature set.

  • MetalAirship@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    16
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    1 year ago

    Pebble is peak smartwatch. Fight me on it, I wont change my mind. Its just smart enough, without being too smart. Battery lasts for days, its waterproof, and side buttons instead if some impossible to use tiny-ass touchscreen. Perfection.

  • I’m in the same boat. The buttons on my Pebble Time Steel are going, and I don’t know what I’m going to replace it with.

    the Pinetime watch, but it died after 6 months.

    Oof, that’s a shame. That was on my list of possibilities.

    • MetalAirship@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Ive been considering buying a new old stock “backup pebble” for when mine goes. Basically the perfect smartwatch

      • Yeah, there really is no decent alternative, yet. While I agree the LCD screen smartwatches look better and are more fancy, but I really like the e-Ink – always on, readable in full sun, and only having to charge it once a month or so. The hybrid idea is a decent alternative, but you lose customizable faces; I’m willing to sacrifice that for long battery life, though, so that’s probably where I’ll go next.

        I don’t understand why there isn’t more of a market for e-Ink watches, though. I mean, there are a bunch of us, but apparently not enough to sustain a company.

      • roembol@lemmy.roembol.nl
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Do consider that if it’s never been used, the battery may be so dead that you have to replace it. I have had to do this with a new one I bought, and it seems to be a common issue for new old stock.

  • const_void@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    11
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    Been pretty happy with my Garmin Instinct. It has a cloud connection of course but seems pretty decent privacy wise.

    • mudeth@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      1 year ago

      I love my Garmin watches but they aren’t really known for privacy or security. They had a ransomware attack in 2020 and the Connect service was down. It’s speculated that they paid the ransom.

    • 0110010001100010@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      1 year ago

      Their support is top-notch as well. My Instinct started having serious battery life issues a few months out of warranty. They still replaced it no questions asked when I reached out to their support and asked if they offer a battery replacement service. That said, the Instinct at least isn’t a true smart watch. It doesn’t run apps, isn’t touchscreen, don’t have NFC, etc.

    • Fisch@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Smartwatches do have features an analog watch doesn’t have. I’m pretty sure OP already knows about the existence of analog watches.

        • Fisch@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          9
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Controlling music without taking out your phone, health stuff like heart rate sesnor or sleep recording or whatever that’s called, being able to switch clock designs when you get bored of it

        • raven [he/him]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          9
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Reading my blood sugar off my CGM without taking my insulin pump out of my pocket is huge actually. I’m using a $25 pinetime for that.

            • raven [he/him]@hexbear.net
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              6
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              I guess you don’t know what a Continuous Glucose Monitor is. It’s a medical device that is attached to my arm with an adhesive pad that monitors my blood sugar continuously, and reports it over bluetooth to my phone. What you’re talking about is a glucometer which I also have (freestyle lite)

                • JGrffn@lemmy.ml
                  link
                  fedilink
                  arrow-up
                  0
                  ·
                  1 year ago

                  Are you for real here? Reducing the dependability on user interactions also reduces the chance for user error, and helps keep people alive in some cases. Even if that weren’t the case, it’s not your place to call out someone’s medical treatments and compare them to your (at best) anecdotal experiences. It’s not outrageous to want a CGM.

        • bufke@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          1 year ago

          For me it’s easily paying subway fare, seeing notifications, leaving my phone home for a quick errand (but could make a call if absolutely necessary). I have a small child, so having hands free abilities is great. If I could degoogle it and run only open source linux/android, I would. But nfc payments will never work with such a thing even if the software existed.

        • M0oP0o@mander.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          I ride a motocycle and listen to books in my helmet, I got a pinetime (great btw) so I can control my audio and have gps. Other then gluing a phone to my gas tank (I have done, its not safe or good) there is not really an option other then a watch.

    • BelieveRevolt [he/him]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      This is the correct answer. I used to wear a smartwatch before realizing most of the features were useless or actively annoying, and a regular watch will tell me the time just as well and doesn’t need to constantly be charged. Do you really want your wrist to buzz every time you get an e-mail? If you’re going to spend €50 on a smartwatch, spend it on a Casio instead, that’s what I did and it’s much better value for money.

  • mrpalmer16@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    1 year ago

    I’m waiting for the next batch of Watchy’s so i can’t say if it is any good, but I have high hopes. They have a handy spec comparison chart between Watchy, Pine time, Bangle.js, and the beloved Pebble.

    • exu@feditown.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      I have a Watchy. It’s nice if you’d want to tinker easily, but it’s very bulky and cheap in feel even compared to a pinetime.

  • randomTingler@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    8
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    I would say amazefit is the better option, check the compatibility with gardggetbride before buying.

    I bought an Amazefit bip 3 years ago and am using Master for Amazefit, sadly the developer stopped updating the app. The watch/band supports only step counter, heart rate measure, sleep tracking. So, whatever options the app provides work fine for me.

    I need to look for other app options when I upgrade.

    • Cataphract@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      1 year ago

      Sleep tracking? I’m ootl with smart watches in general so forgive this ignorant comment, but I assume for this to work…you have to sleep with the watch on?

        • Cataphract@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Cool, thanks for the clarification. Did it take some getting used to and/or are you a pretty heavy sleeper? Interested in the sleep tracker aspect but unsure if it would be useful if it ended up disturbing sleeping more.

          • Dave.@aussie.zone
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            1 year ago

            I wear my amazfit bip 24/7. It’s small and light, it’s not a chunky watch.

            Battery life of about two to three weeks means it can stay on my wrist without the nightly charging routine.

  • Chump [he/him]@hexbear.net
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    1 year ago

    Don’t know how close this gets to what you want, but I really dig my Withings steel. Small watch, standard analog face with step tracking subdial and a tiny lcd display that you can set to show different stats from the watch. You need an app to set it up, since it only has a single button for input, but after that I think you can just uninstall the app and be fine for the alarms you set up, heart rate readout, and whatever custom step goal you set. Also it lasts a month on a charge, which is absolutely awesome if you hate charging these damned things as much as I do

  • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.uk
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    I’ve mad a MiBand 6 for a while now - seems solid and you could, in theory grab all the data from it and process it yourself (via the Notify app). I don’t know exactly how bolted down it is privacy-wise though.

    • SamsonSeinfelder@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      1 year ago

      MiBand 6

      The latest 7 looks very nice. 16 days battery life, 5 days with always-on apparently… sadly if you want to pair it with your phone, you need the Xiaomi App and then (as OP asked) you get trapped in privacy Hell and send all your data (Health, Location, User Content, Financial Information, Contact Info and identifiers) to china. At least on iOS as I can read in the App-Store description. Bummer. It looks like a nice watch.

      • iturnedintoanewt@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        You can just use gadgetbridge after the initial pairing and key generation. You need to install the xiaomi app once in some burner phone with empty contacts, or maybe you can pair it without giving it access to contacts first. Once you have the key (described in the gadgetbridge guide) you can just dump the official app and use GB without using any xiaomi data/servers.

        • SamsonSeinfelder@feddit.de
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Ah, thats good to know. I also saw a blog post for a way to use it without the App by using a modded App APK on Android were you can extract the auth-Key… but that was way to complicated. I wish there were an open standard for digital watches to enable sync of data with the OS of choice without going through a proprietary app. I will look into the RPI Solution. Thanks.

          • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.uk
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            I imagine the manufacturers would fight that all the way to the courts.

            As best as I can tell Notify for Mi Band isn’t from Xiaomi, they produce a number of similar apps that give you control over your phone and a key that allows Home Assistant (and I am sure other services) to pull in the data and you are away. Apparently, it’s a relatively recent update that means you don’t have to do any workarounds - it’s straight through the app and should work for all Mi Bands and Amazfits.